Be:Fit is London’s largest exhibition devoted entirely to women’s health, nutrition and fitness. Formerly known as the Vitality Show, Be:Fit London was held over the weekend and I attended the show for a few hours on Friday.

Old Billingsgate Market (the venue) was buzzing with excitement on the first morning and from what I hear, the energy only got more electric as the weekend crowds rolled in.

Here are a few photo highlights from  Be:Fit London featuring my favourite discoveries and moments!

A postcard view of Tower Bridge outside Old Billingsgate Market (the venue).

I had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Christy Fergusson aka The Food Psychologist a few days ago. Dr. Christy Fergusson is a psychologist, nutritional therapist and clinical hypnotherapist who uses her personal experiences and training in nutrition to counsel young girls and women through a range of health issues.

Image provided by WIre Media

Christy’s own health troubles started at the age of 12 and lasted throughout her teenage years with a range of diagnoses such as chronic fatigue syndrome, severe acne, bulimia, endometriosis, poly cystic ovaries, depression and more. Her battles with her own health sparked an interest in pursuing psychology and clinical nutrition at university. However, the turning point for Christy was a consultation with a naturopath following which she realised that the source of all her illnesses was nothing else but a poor diet. Once her diet changed, everything changed.

Happy International Women’s Day to all the incredible women in my life! Today is all about proudly celebrating our strength and femininity and there couldn’t be a better opportunity to introduce you to an inspiring women’s health and fitness festival coming up in London in a few weeks.

Be:Fit London, previously known as The Vitality Show, returns at the end of March with London’s largest women’s health and fitness event. Be:Fit London celebrity ambassadors include inspiring Olympic athletes  such as Victoria Pendleton and Denise Lewis, supermodel and sports personality Jodie Kidd, as well as Sky Sports News presenter Kirsty Gallacher who will formally open the show.

I was invited to attend a breakfast at The Marylebone Hotel yesterday to meet Joe Cross, the author of ‘The Reboot with Joe Juice Diet’ who is in London on a book tour. The event was held at the hotel’s 108 Marylebone Lane restaurant which is also home to The Juicery.

The invitation was  timely since my brand new NutriBullet  (featured on my top 5 foodie Christmas gift list) was finally being delivered and some healthy juicing inspiration was much-needed.

The liquid breakfast began with a potent shot of lemon, ginger and cayenne pepper.

I read a book by Mireille Guiliano some years ago, annoyingly titled ‘French Women Don’t Get Fat’. The book focused entirely on how French women manage to look good and stay healthy whilst enjoying a diet rich in bread, cheese, wine, steak, chocolate and other good things.

I couldn’t help but think about this book throughout my recent Parisian food adventure. Yes, I savoured every bit of the deliciousness on offer but indulging in Paris for more than 5 days is a dangerous thought.

You know it’s December when the shops are packed and all you hear is the same old Christmas music everywhere you go. The scramble for gifts combined with mad shoppers, pushy sales people and an overwhelming choice is a daunting experience for many. I hope to make this a bit easy for you over the coming weeks by sharing some of my favourite gift ideas this season.

Today’s post is about  my top 5 beauty buys under £50 – these will make excellent festive gifts for any beauty addict in your life – or perhaps, yourself! 😉

Judging by the enthusiastic response to my blog on Post-Diwali Detox, it is clear that many of you are craving a clean-up!

I am sticking with the detox theme today and sharing a simple tip that I learned on my recent spa break at the Thermae Bath Spa. My massage therapist spoke to me at length about trying the simple technique of dry body brushing to help the body’s natural detoxification process.

All you need is a long-handled body brush from Boots or your local health shop. Prices range from £6 for a Boots body brush to £20 for the Elemis brush pictured below.

You know it is Diwali time when your days and nights are planned around excessive consumption of delicious Indian food and decadent mithai (desserts). This year, Halloween was also thrown into the festivities which meant bonus treats of chocolates, cupcakes and sugary candy. Aaaahhh!

I am not kidding – sweet things were literally pouring out of  every corner of my kitchen ALL weekend long. I have had more than enough and my body is craving a post-Diwali detox. Here are my tips for anyone else out there feeling bloated, tired, sluggish, and full of sweets!

I blogged last week about some gorgeous makeup out there designed specifically with Halloween in mind (see Spooky Chic for more). Couldn’t resist another Halloween makeup post this morning, considering it is today and some last-minute, easy makeup inspiration may be timely. 🙂

I turned to one of my favourite sites, Pinterest, for some relatively subtle, DIY Halloween makeup ideas. Some seem super easy while others definitely need a creative hand. Here are some Halloween looks I love….

Halloween is just around the corner and I am really missing the American Halloween spirit – London comes nowhere close!! The last-minute hunt for unique costumes (age no bar!), and dressing up in character for crazy Halloween parties are sorely missed each year.

Today’s blog is on some fantastic Halloween inspired beauty collections out there to help you create the perfect spooky chic look for the occasion. Really making me wish I was back in New York City for Halloween….sigh.

MAC + Rick Baker Halloween Collection

I think I have finally discovered the holy grail of super foods – Chia seeds. I first came across jars of The Chia Co seeds at Whole Foods a few months ago and have been curious about them ever since.

One of my purchases at Neal’s Yard Remedies last week was a packet of Chia seeds also known as Salvia Hispanica.

I was shocked when I heard about the nutritional potency of these tiny miracles and you will be too. Get ready for it!

2 tablespoons of Chia seeds contain:

My friend, Shikha, told me about a special event at the Neal’s Yard Remedies store in Wimbledon last week. Guests were being offered a choice between a free mini-facial or organic makeover and a 20% discount on everything at the store. Shikha knew this would be right up my alley and sure enough, up the hill I went for some shopping and pampering to the Neal’s Yard Remedies in Wimbledon Village.

Neal’s Yard Remedies is an organic health and beauty brand passionate about finding natural solutions to improve health and well-being. I have used a few of their products over the years and always been impressed by the contents of the signature blue bottles (specifically designed to keep light out and ingredients fresh!).

Today’s blog is on an increasingly popular beauty essential – foundation primer!  There is a range of primers out in the market these days to suit all skin types, concerns and budgets.

So, what does a primer do and why do you need one?

• A good primer smooths the skin to create a ‘canvas’ for the rest of your look, very much like a mandatory primer before you paint the walls in your home!
• Helps you to disguise blemishes by making it noticeably easier for you to blend concealer/foundation evenly  into your skin

Many of you will remember my blog last month on  ‘The Beauty Detox Solution – Part 1′.  It has been the most popular post on Hungry Aphrodite so far!

I have embraced many of the ideas that Kimberly Snyder recommends in ‘The Beauty Detox Solution’ and am slowly easing myself into a new way of eating. Of course, there are occasional indulgences but I hate the way my mind and body feel afterwards so something is clearly working.

‘The Beauty Detox Solution – Part 1’ gave you a super brief summary of the first half of the book. As promised, here is Part 2!

The perfect shade of nude lipstick is a beauty staple that can be quite tricky to find. Despite looking for a shade that closely matches the natural lip colour, it is very easy to end up with the wrong kind of nude that makes you look more washed out and ghost-like than classy.

With summer officially over, I am looking for a break from my pink comfort zone and in the market for a more autumnal look. I think I may have found a helping hand in the recently launched L’Oreal Collection Privee.

I have gone crazy over raspberries this week. Bright red, plump and the perfect balance of sweet and tart – raspberries are clearly at the peak of the season and I  just can’t get enough. Finally, a healthy addiction! 😉

Raspberries are a lot more than a tasty fruit. Below are some very good reasons to grab yourself a juicy bowl of raspberries….NOW!

Immunity

Raspberries are extremely rich in vitamins, anti-oxidants, minerals and all the other good stuff. Raspberry anti-oxidants help to inhibit the growth of infections and protect the body from all sorts of damage. Research has also shown that a specific anti-oxidant found in raspberries can also help to fight cancer and other diseases.

One of my favourite beauty indulgences is a spa pedicure  – and I know I am not alone. A relaxing experience ending in soft, smooth and happy feet with freshly polished toe-nails – what’s not to love?

Experts recommend getting professional pedicures once a month and every 2 weeks in the summertime when feet are more exposed to the elements and in need of extra primping and pampering.

Now, let’s get real – a pedicure every 2 weeks may not always be possible. Over exposed feet in the summertime also lead to dry skin and hardened heels making you wish you could get one every week…

After a sunny summer spent wearing pretty dresses, sipping cocktails/wine, and eating gorgeous food, it wasn’t much fun struggling to breathe in my ‘comfortable’ pair of jeans last week. Ugh. I think it might be time for another round of detox.

As a ‘foodie’, I don’t have the desire or discipline to ‘diet’ so my focus will be on eating right and making better choices.

In need for some serious inspiration and guidance, I turned to ‘The Beauty Detox Solution’, a book by celebrity nutritionist and beauty expert, Kimberly Snyder.  I am not even half way through the book and seem to have already found the motivation to make some changes.

Anyone else having a long streak of bad hair days?  The sunniest July in years has wreaked havoc on my hair and it is looking annoyingly dry, damaged, frizzy….you get the picture!

It is clearly time for a summer hair intervention and here is my rescue plan:

Hair Masks

A regular shampoo and conditioner is simply not enough in the heat. Summer hair requires an extra level of TLC and this is where  a deep conditioning hair mask comes in!  I am a huge fan of MoroccanOil haircare products – they come at a price but smell gorgeous and the results are absolutely amazing.Treat your hair with MoroccanOil Restorative Mask – a weekly dose of argan oil vitamins and anti-oxidants will work wonders for hair that has been overly processed and excessively fried in the sunshine!!

Everything is, literally, coming up roses for me these days…just like the popular Broadway song! 🙂 Must be the effect of the glorious English summer.

I am suddenly and insanely addicted to the gorgeous fragrance of roses…Not a surprise then that this wonderful scent is inspiration for today’s musings on some my favourite rosy beauty buys!

So, here goes…

1. Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream

The coconut palm tree isn’t called the ‘tree of life‘ for nothing. In addition to being an extremely nutritious superfood, coconut also has a number of beauty uses, specifically for skin and hair care.

Here are some ways to add some wonderful coco-nuttiness to your beauty routine!

Skin

There is nothing more hydrating and rejuvenating than fresh coconut water. Perfect for shooing off that hangover!

But, did you know that regular intake of fresh coconut water can also work wonders for your skin? High in antioxidants, coconut water is known  for its anti-aging properties and can make your skin glow. Coconut water can also be used as spot treatment for cellulite, acne, eczema, wrinkles and stretch marks.

Nothing screams ‘summer’ quite like the colour, coral. Wouldn’t you agree?

If you love peachy, coral hues as much as I do, then you will love the Go Tropicoral Lip & Cheek Kit by Benefit Cosmetics.

The Go Tropicoral Lip & Cheek Kit includes:

Cha Cha Tint – A mango tinted lip and cheek stain perfect for creating a natural, summer flush.

High Beam – Liquid shimmer for spot highlighting. Suits all skin tones.

CORALista Blush – Peachy powder blush perfect for a warm, summery look.

CORALista Lip Gloss – Sheer coral lip gloss.

My ‘June’ Glossybox arrived shortly after the recent  ‘Hello Glossybox‘ post.

This month’s theme was ‘Summer Looks’ and the box had a variety of summery treats including Paul Mitchell Ultimate Wave Cream to create sexy, tousled, beach hair and a lovely coral Nails Inc polish.

My favourite product in the June Glossybox is, without any doubt, the Figs & Rouge Tinted Lip Balm (Cherry Blossom)

Quite a claim, isn’t it? I thought the same when I first read bareMinerals bold statement! Of course, I was instantly curious!

bareMinerals was launched in the United States  in 1995. They have come a long way since and bareMinerals products are now available all over the world. Their makeup is made out of natural minerals with no chemicals, preservatives, dyes, oils or perfumes. bareMinerals boasts that their ingredients are so kind and gentle to the skin that one can even sleep with makeup on!

Who doesn’t want  clear, radiant skin? There is no doubt that besides being born blessed, the best way to a healthy, luminous complexion is drinking lots of water, eating right and exercising. But let’s get real…we all need some help, don’t we?

I wandered into my local Body Shop the other day and left with a great skincare product from their Vitamin C range that deserves a special mention on Hungry Aphrodite!

Honey is renowned worldwide for its health and beauty benefits.Besides being the world’s most natural sweetener, honey is also anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral. It is used widely in alternative medicine as a cure for all kinds of ailments and is considered a ‘power food’ that should be included regularly in one’s diet.

Here are some simple ways for you to include some sweet honey in your life!

Weight Loss –  A spoonful of honey mixed with warm water and a squeeze of lemon is a well known weight loss aid and great for detoxifying the body. Have it every morning as soon as you wake up and you will see the results on your skin and general well-being!

I am always intrigued by bizarre beauty fads from around the world. It is often a source of amusement and other times, just disturbing to see how far women (and men) can go in their pursuit of beauty and eternal youth. Hearing about these crazy treatments makes me wonder about if and where I would draw the line.

There has been a lot of buzz recently about the anti-ageing ‘Fire Facial’ aka Huo Liao treatment being offered in Chinese beauty salons. Sounds hot, doesn’t it? Think again.

I read earlier that this week marked the 130th anniversary of modern day lipstick. Given that lipstick is a beauty staple for women across the world, I thought it might be fun to dig deeper into the history of this miracle worker and share some little known facts with all of you.

• Lipsticks made out of colourful fruit and plant juices have been used by women since prehistoric times
• In ancient Mesopotamia, women used to grind gemstones and use the dust to decorate their lips with sparkles.
• Cleopatra is known to have used a mixture of beetle and ant juice to colour her lips red – Yikes!

On this day, exactly one year ago, I experienced beautiful Tuscany for the very first time. I still vividly remember the long drive from Bologna to our villa at the Castello di Casole, through those spectacular green hills and vineyards. An unforgettable holiday spent with our lovely family enjoying delicious food and wine at the most luxurious  Tuscan villa – pure bliss!

I love to travel and Italy ranks high up (if not, at the top!) of my favourite destinations list. Food, dessert, wine, art, fashion, design – the Italians always seem to get it right, don’t they? From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the striking Amalfi coast, Italy never ceases to amaze me.

Hubby and I recently attended a friend’s wedding at the gorgeous Park Hyatt Resort in Goa, India. It was here that I was first introduced to products made by “Forest Essentials: Luxurious Ayurveda’. Founded in 2000, Forest Essentials has revived ingredients used in many old Ayurvedic recipes. Their products are sourced from plants, trees and herbs naturally grown in forests in the Himalayas – Music to my ears!

The shampoo, conditioner and sugar soap bar that we tried at the hotel were fabulous and definitely inspired me to pay a visit to their Delhi store before we headed back to London.

According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite was the goddess of love, beauty and eternal youth.  It was only natural that she would appear numerous times while I brainstormed a unique name for this blog. I knew I was going to be writing about all that Aphrodite represents. However, my blog would have been incomplete without a focus on another one of my passions – good food! Hungry Aphrodite called out to me straight away, and without a doubt, I had finally found my online, creative avatar!

Hungry Aphrodite is a chronicle of my experiences with divine food, beauty and oh yes, the pursuit of good health and eternal youth. I hope that you will enjoy being a part of my creative space.